Tissue samples and other biological matter are often processed so that a physician may determine the presence of disease elements or to glean other information from the material. For example, a hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain is known for application to tissue samples to determine if cancer may be present. More advanced testing and processing, such as immunohistochemistry (IHC), may utilize reagents to isolate proteins and stainers to stain the proteins and may also include a reconstituting step. The testing of specimens may involve the use of harsh stainers, reagents, antibodies and temperatures in order for the necessary information to be obtained from the specimen. Preparation of specimens is often accomplished by way of one or more automated instruments.
Specimens are located on a slide when they are prepared by the automated instruments. The slide also includes a label that provides information such as identification of the specimen, identification of the lab or entity performing the test, dates, and may include a bar code that can be read by the automated instrument in order to instruct the automated instrument as to what protocols to run on the specimen. Although the label itself is not being tested, it is often the case that the label is subjected to the harsh stainers, reagents, antiboides and temperatures that are used in the testing process since the label is located on the slide right next to the specimen. Although some stainers, reagents, antibodies and/or temperatures to which the label is subjected are not strong enough to degrade the labels and cause their image to be unreadable or cause them to detach from the slide, other types of stainers, reagents and/or temperatures applied in other processing will in fact cause the label to degrade so that it detaches from the slide or so that the image on the label cannot be read.
In order to protect labels used in harsh environments such as those that employ harsh stainers, reagents, antibodies and/or temperatures, it is known to provide a label that has a protective covering. The label is located on a liner and desired information is printed onto a printable area of the label. The label includes a clear flap with adhesive on its bottom surface with its own clear flap liner. Once the desired information is printed on the printable area of the label, the user peels the clear flap liner off and bends the clear flap down on top of the image on the printable area of the label. The adhesive on the bottom surface of the clear flap engages the image and the printable area of the label in order to adhere the clear flap to the pintable area of the label. The user may then peel the label with the image and the attached clear flap from the liner and apply this label to the slide. The clear flap will protect the label and the printed image from being distorted during testing of the specimen. The image and face stock of the label are made of material and configured in such a manner that they will degrade or detach when subjected to harsh stainers, reagents, antibodies and/or temperatures during testing, and the clear flap protects the image and other portions of the label during testing.
Although capable of protecting the label during testing, the clear flap cannot be written on by the user. It is sometimes the case that the user desires to write in process notes on the label with the use of a pen, pencil, marker or other writing instrument. The clear flap is made of a material onto which the markings of a writing instrument will not stick thus making it impossible for the user to apply desired notes to the label. Additionally, once the specimen is tested it is placed into an automatic cover slipping device that automatically applies a cover slip on top of the specimen. The adhesive on the clear flap often will ooze (adhesive flow) and get inside of the automated cover slipper and prevent or hinder the cover slip from being applied. Further, adhesive ooze from the clear flap may jamb the automated cover slipper and prevent it from working and require expensive and time consuming repair. Additionally, when information is printed onto the printable area of the label, the adjacent clear flap may move upwards on the liner and hinder or jamb the printer that is printing the information onto the printable area. This is because the top surface of the clear flap faces the liner before it is folded into engagement with the printable area and there is no adhesive on the top surface of the clear flap to retain same onto the liner. As such, there remains room for variation and improvement within the art.
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the invention.